Confectionery-machine.



E. J. BEACH.

GONFEGTIONERY MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1912.

Patented A r; 14, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. J. BEACH.

GONFEGTIONERY MACHINE APPLICATION-FILED JULY 25, 1912.

1,093,380. 7 Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

W 3? m 3% w W W mumml I ll Y QQWR x E. J. BRAOH.

, OONFEOTIONERY MACHINE.

APPLIGATIO'N FILED JULY 25, 1912 Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WEE 2 151149? Q Q'M bran snares ner EMU: J. BEACH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONFECTIONERY-MACHINE.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL J. BRACH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Confectionery- Machines, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to confectionery machines and more, specifically to that class thereof designed for use in cutting a strip of candy or other similar plastic material into small pieces of uniform size, the present construction being designed specifically for efi'ecting the formation of what are known as pillows. Candies of the character last mentioned are formed of an inner portion of comparatively softor plastic material such as minced cocoanut, and an outer Wall of a more rigid and less plastic nature, so that in the cutting of the strip into small pieces or pillows, if the cutting is sudden, the easing or outer wall will not yield readily enough, thereby causing the inner softer portion to be forced or to escape through the severed end of the pillow between, the

supposedly united or closed edges of the outer wall.

It is the object of this invention to provide a construction whereby this cuttin of the pillow will be gradually .efiecte so that the outer wall of the candy strip will be permitted to yield or stretch sufliciently to prevent the inner softer portion ffrom escaping as above mentioned.

A further object is the production of a confectionery machine of the character mentioned which will be of durable and economical construction and efiicient in operation.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in vhich- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a confectionery machine embodying my invention, l igs. 2 and 3 are vertical transverse sections taken on substantial lines wm and yy respectively of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on substantial line 2-2 of Fig. 2.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawings comprises a supporting frame consisting of'two spaced vertical members '1. Extending between the frame members 1 and having their extremitIGS JOHIIMlGd. in bearings provided therein, are shafts 2, 3, 4 and 5. The shafts 2 and 4 are, for more reasons to be hereinafter set forth, mounted for longitudinal adjustment 1n the supporting frame, movable bearing blocks 6 of said shafts being slidably mounted in elongated slots 7 provided in frame members. 1 as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The bearing blocks 6 are connected with the inner ends of screws 8 which pass loosely through the end walls of slots 7, nuts 9 threaded upon said screws and abutting said walls of said slots being adapted to lock the screws 8 against inward movement and hence to lock the bearing blocks 6 against corresponding movement. With this arrangement it will be seen that adjustment of the shafts 2 and 4 outwardly or toward the left, may be effected by positively rotating nuts 9 upon the screws 8. Set screws 10 are provided for cooperation with hearing blocks 6 for locking the latter in positions of longitudinal adjustment in the slots Fixed ulpon each of the shafts 2, 3, 4 and 5 is a rol er 11, the central portion of the shown in order to. conduce tolightness in the construction and to reduce friction, as will be readily understood. Mounted upon the rollers 11 for rotation about shafts 2 and 3, and 4 and 5 respectively, are endless flexible elements 12. Each of the elements 12 consists of a series of transversely extending parallel cylindrical members 13, which are spaced slightly apart and which are connected at their extremities by endless chains 14, the eripheries of rollers 11 being semicircular y recessed as at'15 in order to accommodate the members 13. Carried by each of the members 13 is an outwardly projecting longitudinally extending blade or cutting element 16, the cutting elements of one of the flexible elements 12 being adapted to register with those of the other of said flexible elements as clearly shown in the several views. The adjacent sides of the flexible elements 12 are inclined to each other at an acute angle, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, so that, when said elements are synchronously moved, the cutting elements 16 thereof will graduall approach each other, the

same bemg'fart est apart at the left hand end of the machine, and approaching each other gradually, in their movement toward the opposite end of the machine, where said elements are finallyv brought into contact with each other to eflect complete severing of thematerial positioned between the same. The candy strip or other material which is severed in the manner above first described is fed to the machine through tapering tubular guide 17 which directs the material to a position between the cutting elements .16 which gradually move into engagement therewith ultimately effecting the cutting thereof into pieces of a desired size. By reason of the arrangement of the cutting members 16 whereby the same gradually approach each other, the objectionable results which are incident to quick or rapid cutting, as first mentioned, are eliminated.

The members 13 of the flexible elements 12 are held against relative rotar movement through the medium of straig it edged blades 18, 19 and 20 secured to the frame members 1 through the medium of screws 21, the longitudinal edges of said members being adapted to contact with the flattened ends of said members 13 as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4:. At the extremities of the rollers 11 are provided polygonal circular plates 22 rigidly secured thereto by means of screws 23. Said plates 22 are so arranged, and the same are of such diameter, that the flattened peripheral portions thereof contact with the flattened extremities of the members 13 to hold the same against rela-' rollers, and the plates 22 will serve the same function in the passage of said members 13 around the rollers 11. Also the members 18, 19 and 20 serve in the capacity of guides, preventing sagging of the member's 12.

The members 12 are driven through the medium of a pinion 24., which is mounted upon the driving shaft 25 the latter when the device is in use, being adapted to be driven from any source of power supply. The pinion 24 meshes with a gear 26 loosely mounted upon the shaft 5, said gear 26 meshing with a gear 27 fixed to the shaft 3.

An operative connection between the shaft 5 and said gear-26 is effected by a disk 28 which is keyed or otherwise suitably fixed to said shaft. The connection of the gear 26 with the disk 28 is effected through the medium of threaded studs 29 and nuts 30 threaded upon said studs, said studs projecting through the elongated slots 31 provided in the member 29. Said slots 31 are elongated in form, as mentioned, in order to permit of relative rotary adjustment of the disk 28, andhence the shaft 5 relative to the gear 26, in order to effect registration of the cutting element 16 of one of the flexible elements 12 with those of the cutting elements of the other. This rotary adjustment may be readily efifected through the medium 28 and hence shaft 5, relative to the gear 26,

may be secured by manipulating screws 32, the parts being positively locked in positions of adjustment through the medium of threaded studs 29 and nuts 30.

A. confectionery machine of the construction set forth is durable and economical in construction, through the medium thereof, confectionery of the character before mentioned may be manufactured with ease and expedition and the device is of efiiciency in use.

It will be observed that in the passage of the flexible elements 12 about the rollers, the cutting elements 16 will be moved apart slightly, such movement of said cutting elements effecting release of the candy pieces cut thereby from said cutting elements without necessitating the employment of other additional means for effecting this purpose.

While-I have illustrated and described thepreferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this. is capable of variation and modification without depart? ing from the spirit of the invention- I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine of the class described comprising a supporting frame; guides on said frame; rollers jo-urnaled in said frame; two endless flexible elements mounted on said rollers, each comprising two spaced endless chains anda pluralit of parallel members extending laterally etween said endless chains, each parallel member being provided end portion at each end and a pin extending longitudinally from each flattened endportion, endless chains on said rollers, each chain comprising a plurality of perforated plates pivotally mounted on said pins, each plate connecting two adjacent pins at adjacent ends of said parallel members; out-4 wardly extending cutter blades on said parallel members; guides on said frame; and other I guides on said rollers, all of said guides engaging said flattened ends holding said parallel members against rotation, substantially as described.

3. A machine of the character described comprising a supporting frame; rollers mounted in said frame; plates rigidly secured to said rollers andvhaving flattened peripheral portions thereon; two su erposed endless flexible elements mounted or rota tion about said rollers each comprising two spaced endless members and a series of transversely extending parallel members provided with flattened end portions between said end- 7 less members and having the remote ends of their flattened end portions secured thereto; an outwardly extending cutter blade on each transversely extending member and superposed straight edged members arranged in spaced relation in said frame, the fiattened edge portions'of said parallel members being adapted for assage between said superposed "straight edged members and for contact with the flattened peripheral portions of said plates whereby said parallel members are guided and held from relative rotary movement, substantially as'described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMIL asaAon.

Witnesses: I

JOSHUA R. H. Porrs, JANET E. FARRELL. 

